A Life Pension, a New House for Chief Justice and His Wife
Zambians, look at this Bill and tell me that building houses for retired CJs is our priority, as concerns the Judiciary.
Laura Miti wrote;
Who came up with this Bill, and why?
How will this house ensure justice for the millions of poor Zambians, drowning in a cruelly dysfunctional judicial system?
A system where court officials still take notes long hand. Full of – don’t talk too fast, I am writing.
Sit in wrecks of courthouses, left by Welensky.
Citizens are rotting in remand, but, yes, let’s build CJs, who surely already have more houses than they need, another house.
Mwebantu, it’s not that we don’t want you to pay yourselves handsomely, while in, and after, holding high offices.
We are just asking you to first attend to the huge problems at the bottom of your structures.
When progress is made on on the mind numbing issues affecting citizens, I swear we will let you buy yourselves personal-to-holder jets.
For now stop being so shamelessly selfish.
Heads of the arms of Government are entitled to a house upon retirement except the judiciary. So it is in order to build them houses. The former presidents and former speakers all have entitlements. What is wrong with giving the chief justices similar conditions? I see nothing wrong. YOUR DUTY COUNSELS. WHAT DO YOU THINK? STAND FOR YOUR PROFESSION.
Well, it is arguable. The Judiciary has their own conditions of service with security of tenure with service up to say, 65 years for retirement. The executive and legislature heads have limited stay in office according to elections. So, it is not entirely comparable.
Yes, it is utter foolishness to even think of building former Chief Justices houses which they don’t need. The CJ can easily build a mansion from what he earns just like the rest of the citizens are doing.
Just imagine building Mr. Hichilema a house after his second term. Imagine building Ms. Nelly Mutti a house after her term as Speaker of the National Assembly. If the absurdity of it doesnot strike home, then nothing will. Both are wealthy and dont need another house or money from our treasury.
Who is next? The heads of the various defence arms (police, national service, Zaf, Zambia Army). Rationale? You can’t have a former commander being destitute after serving the nation well! Meanwhile the poor citizen sinks deeper into poverty and destitution.
What kind of heartless leaders are these? Our leaders must learn to take care of themselves just like the rest of us. We pay them for their services and that should be enough.
By the way, have you any idea how these big mansions become ghost after one has retired at 65 years and children have long left the nest? And you want to build a retired Chief Justice a retirement mansion to enjoy what at 70 years?
All civil servants receive a pension on retirement and that is enough. No one should be given extra perks such as life salary, houses, support staff etc etc not even the president, vice president, chief Justice or anyone else.